A dockable computer system includes a portable computer unit, usually a notebook or laptop, and a stationary or base (host) computer unit having a docking station for receiving the portable computer unit. Dockable computer systems may be operated in a docked state, in which both computer units are physically associated as a generally unified system, or the remote unit may be separated from its host for independent operation in an undocked state.
Rudimentary docking systems of the foregoing variety have been designed in an effort to meet the needs of today's mobile computer users for "ubiquitous" computing system capabilities, to fulfill their computing needs in diverse aspects of their professional and personal lives and in sundry locations. Contemporary dockable computer systems approach this problem through a single system capable of operating as an expandable desktop computer having a detachable mobile computing component or subsystem.
The expandable desktop computer provides greater storage resources, network connectivity, larger displays, and other superior facilities which are necessary for the typical range of generally demanding home and office computing. The portable computer (mobile computer unit) can include a sophisticated CPU and allows the user to have computing capabilities while outside the home or office by detaching that component with its indigenous hardware and resident software. The computing capabilities of the portable computer are somewhat limited due to size, weight and power constraints but represent the best available approach in these embryonic attempts to balance portable mobility needs.
When the user leaves the host environment of home or office, the portable computer is undocked (that is, physically detached) from the docking station of the stationary computer unit. Applications, files, and other data needed for the mobile computing task must have previously been stored in the portable computer. When the user returns to the host environment, the portable computer is reunited (docked) with the docking station so that the applications, the files, and other data are stored and maintained in a single location. Thus, the use of a dockable computer system allows the user to have access to any needed applications, files, and other data just before embarking on the mobile computing task.
Certain complex computing applications require high speed, high performance computer systems such as multiple instruction stream, multiple data stream (MIMD) computers. MIMD computers are capable of performing symmetrical multi-processing (SMP) operations, the simultaneous execution of two or more sequences of instructions by two or more arithmetic or logic units. SMP operations are also known as multi-programming, multi-processing, multi-computing or parallel processing operations.
Generally, SMP-capable computers include two or more CPUs which can both access at least one mutual memory address and are necessary to practically utilize computational intensive, complex data processing or speed dependent applications such as database control (queries) and maintenance, network-based searching, and sophisticated graphic functions. For example, video conferencing software generally includes a video compression/decompression algorithm which places the video conference image on the screen. The high speed requirements and quantitative nature of the compression/decompression algorithm impose a tremendous computational (number crunching) burden on the CPU. The burden is often so great that the CPU cannot practically perform other computing tasks while simultaneously servicing the video conferencing software.
Heretofore, users have utilized a dedicated desktop computer to perform SMP operations because dockable computer systems have not been capable of SMP operations. Two or more CPUs necessary for SMP operations cannot practically be located on the portable computer unit due to size, power and weight constraints, especially in the limited notebook and sub-notebook configurations. Prior art docking stations have not included a CPU for SMP operations or an interface which can accommodate SMP support signals. Prior art docking stations are only linked to the portable computer unit by a low performance transfer bus. Thus, prior art dockable computer systems are incapable of SMP operations and have the same CPU performance when the system is docked as when it is undocked.
Thus, there is a need for a dockable computer system capable of utilizing the high performance CPU of the portable computer for SMP operations. There is also a need for a dockable computer system having a high performance interface capable of communicating SMP support signals. Further, there is a need for a dockable computer system having an architecture optimized for the SMP operations in accordance with "ubiquitous" computing goals.